I was about to place an order for a 2014 3500HD 4x4 Ram, but went to dealer's lot first to take some measurements. If I want to tow my fifth wheel level, it looks like I'm only going to have 2 inches of clearance between the bed rails and the underside of the fifth wheel nose.Currently have a 10 year old GMC Duramax 2500HD 4x4 with plenty of clearance. The height of the new Ram bed is 2.5 inches greater than the Duramax and the depth of the bed is 2 inches greater. That puts the RV 4.5 inches closer to the bed rails if I keep the RV level!I could raise the fiver hitch height and lower the pin box, but that's going to make the RV tow with the nose up and tail down.Am I understanding and calculating this correctly?

Hotel California wrote:I was about to place an order for a 2014 3500HD 4x4 Ram, but went to dealer's lot first to take some measurements. If I want to tow my fifth wheel level, it looks like I'm only going to have 2 inches of clearance between the bed rails and the underside of the fifth wheel nose.Currently have a 10 year old GMC Duramax 2500HD 4x4 with plenty of clearance. The height of the new Ram bed is 2.5 inches greater than the Duramax and the depth of the bed is 2 inches greater. That puts the RV 4.5 inches closer to the bed rails if I keep the RV level!I could raise the fiver hitch height and lower the pin box, but that's going to make the RV tow with the nose up and tail down.Am I understanding and calculating this correctly?I wonder if the OEM Fifth Wheel package, and the picture frame for the pucks will give you a couple of inches off the bed floor?

For some reason, all the manufacturers keep making the bed rails higher all the time.Your going to have to lift the trailer up higher off its axles. I've seen people weld 2X3 steel square stock between the spring mounts and the frame to do this. Some times it takes 2 or three of them.

ScottG wrote:Your going to have to lift the trailer...Either that or order it with no bed and put a flatbed on it.

on my boys 2013 F150 and a pullrite we purchase a kit that raised the 5th wheel hitch 3" and matched my 99 dodge clearance. we were going to make the lift kit but it was actually reasonable a I think $100.

Ed9824v wrote:on my boys 2013 F150 and a pullrite we purchase a kit that raised the 5th wheel hitch 3" and matched my 99 dodge clearance. we were going to make the lift kit but it was actually reasonable a I think $100.right but that solves a problem and creates another.Trailer will be too nose high.

Clearance Between Bed Rails and Fiver. Yikes! | Good Sam Community

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Feb 11, 2014
You are going to have to accomplish two things.

Get bed rail clearance......raise the hitch/lower the pin box

And then get rid of nose high condition (not good) by flipping axles (if the springs are mounted under axle tubes), by cutting spring shackles off/welding square tubing on frame (2",3" etc) and then welding shackles back on OR if you have adjustment holes in shackles change mounting position to lowest holes.
rtazz17
Explorer
Feb 11, 2014
Ed9824v wrote:
on my boys 2013 F150 and a pullrite we purchase a kit that raised the 5th wheel hitch 3" and matched my 99 dodge clearance. we were going to make the lift kit but it was actually reasonable a I think $100.
right but that solves a problem and creates another.Trailer will be too nose high.
Ed9824v
Explorer
Feb 11, 2014
on my boys 2013 F150 and a pullrite we purchase a kit that raised the 5th wheel hitch 3" and matched my 99 dodge clearance. we were going to make the lift kit but it was actually reasonable a I think $100.
2oldman
Explorer II
Feb 11, 2014
ScottG wrote:
Your going to have to lift the trailer...
Either that or order it with no bed and put a flatbed on it.
ScottG
Nomad
Feb 11, 2014
For some reason, all the manufacturers keep making the bed rails higher all the time.
Your going to have to lift the trailer up higher off its axles. I've seen people weld 2X3 steel square stock between the spring mounts and the frame to do this. Some times it takes 2 or three of them.
glazier
Explorer II
Feb 11, 2014
Hotel California wrote:
I was about to place an order for a 2014 3500HD 4x4 Ram, but went to dealer's lot first to take some measurements. If I want to tow my fifth wheel level, it looks like I'm only going to have 2 inches of clearance between the bed rails and the underside of the fifth wheel nose.

Currently have a 10 year old GMC Duramax 2500HD 4x4 with plenty of clearance. The height of the new Ram bed is 2.5 inches greater than the Duramax and the depth of the bed is 2 inches greater. That puts the RV 4.5 inches closer to the bed rails if I keep the RV level!

I could raise the fiver hitch height and lower the pin box, but that's going to make the RV tow with the nose up and tail down.

Am I understanding and calculating this correctly?

I wonder if the OEM Fifth Wheel package, and the picture frame for the pucks will give you a couple of inches off the bed floor?

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Clearance Between Bed Rails and Fiver. Yikes!

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